Socket wrench



P. J. Q-UIGLEY. SOCKET WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-14, 1920- 1,436, 1 95 t nt d Nov- 21, 1922.

Patented Nov. 21, 11922.

UNETEE gTAEfi PETER JOHN QUIGLEY, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SOCKET WRENCH.

Application filed September 14, 1920. Serial No. 410,150.

To all "whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, PETER J. QUIGLEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Socket l/Vrench, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to socket wrenches.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved pivotal mounting for the socket heads of wrenches of this class.

Another objectis to provide an improved locking means for the head which will hold the socket head firmly in place so that any one of its sockets may be presented in working position and there held.

The tool of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in turning nuts provided on the lugs which hold a demountable rim on an automobile wheel. In tire service stations, it is necessary to be constantly taking off or putting on nuts of various sizes, and ordinarily separate wrenches for each size of nut have to be on hand. By the use of the present socket wrench, a number of different sizes of nuts can be expeditiously removed or replaced. Ordina-- rily, a single socket wrench will be capable of use for handling all the sizes of nuts which a tire service station will be called upon to handle. The tool is also useful in turning nuts on all parts of an automobile or other machine.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is an elevation of the improved socket wrench.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the same viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The present socket wrench includes a brace 5 of ordinary construction, except that the end remote from the handle is bifurcated as indicated at 6. t A socket head 7, including a hub and a plurality of arms each with a different size of nut socket, is mounted between the furcations so as to be capable of rotation, whereby the different sockets may be presented one by one into working position.

Near the extremities of the furcations 6, a pair of apertures 6 6 are provided, the apertures 6 being larger than apertures 6. A pivotal element 8 for the socket head is passed through these two perforations and extends axially of the hub of the socket head. This pivotal element has a reduced extension 10 received within the smaller aperture 6 and has screw threads 9 intermediate its ends whereby it is detachably secured to the socket head. The end of the pivotal element remote from the reduced section 10 has a polygonal head 11, there being as many sides to said head as there are socket arms. Each side of the polygonal head 11 isprovided with a notch 12 for receiving a locking element to be described. In the drawing, the socket head is shown as having four sockets, wherefore the head 11 is rectangular and has four notches 12. I do not wish to be limited to any particular number of sockets or notches, since for certain classes of work more than four sockets may be useful, while for other work a less number is needed.

Since the pivotal element is screwthreaded into the socket head, and since the socket head rotates freely between the furcations 6, it will be clear that the head L1 will turn as the socket head is rotated. Locking means cooperating with the notches 12 of the head is provided in the form of sliding bolt 15 having a manipulating arm 16. A frame 13 is secured upon the outer face of the same furcation 6 over which the head 11 turns. This frame 13 has raised guides 14 through which the bolt may slide, and a catch 17 projects from an intermediate point of the bolt and cooperates with the frame 13 to hold the bolt either in locking or retracted position. When in looking position, the end of the bolt 15 extends through alined notches 12 on opposite sides of the head 11. All movement of the pivotal element 8, and hence of the socket 7, is thereby prevented. Obviously, the bolt end need engage but one of the notches 12 in order to lock the socket head.

Among the advantages of the present construction are that the use of springs, dogs and ratchet teeth are done away with, while a simple and easily manufactured, and readily manipulated locking means is provided. By retracting the bolt, the head may be rotated freely in either direction. Such bolts as are useful in the present construction are readily obtainable at any hardware store, and therefore the only part of the tool which need be specially manufactured is the particular pivotal element which has been described. The workman can tell at a glance whether or not the socket head is properly locked, and when it is one secured, no amount of turning will weaken thehold of the lock. The polygonal head may be conveniently engaged by a wrench so that its hold on the socket member is either tightened or loosened, as desired.

This application is a continuation in part of an application filed April 26, 1919, Serial No. 292,870.

What is claimed is 1. A wrench including a brace having a bifurcated end and a socket head mounted between the furcations, a pivotal element for said head secured thereto at the axis of the head by screw threads, said element having a polygonal head outside of one of the furcations, and means mounted on that furcation and engageable with said polygonal head to hold the socket head against radial movement.

2. A wrench including a brace having a bifurcated end and a socket head mounted between the furcations, a pair of alined apertures of unequal size in the furcations, an element pivotally mounted in said apertures and having areduced extension at one end passing through the smaller aperture, said element having screw threads to engage with corresponding threads provided axially of the socket head, a polygonal head on the opposite end of the element, the screw threads terminating short of the polygonal head whereby the element provides a pivot for the socket head, the polygonal head providing means whereby the element may be disengaged from the socket head, and means mounted on one furcation and engageable with said polygonal head to hold the socket head against rotary movement.

3. A wrench including a brace having a bifurcated end and a socket head mounted between the furcations, a pivotal element for said head secured thereto at the axis of the head by screw threads, said element having a polygonal head outside of one of the furcations, said polygonal head having a plurality of notches corresponding in numher to the number of the sockets provided in the socket head, the polygonal head having one notch in each side, and means mounted on one of the furcations and engageable with the notches of said polygonal head to hold the socket head against rotary movement.

4:. A wrench including a brace having a bifurcated end and a socket head mounted between the furcations, a pivotal element for said head secured, thereto at the axis of the head by screw threads, said element hav ing a polygonal head outside of one of the furcations, and a sliding bolt mounted on that furcation and engageable with said polygonal head to hold the socket head against radial movement.

5. A wrench including a brace having a bifurcated end and a socket head mounted between the furcations, a pivotal element for said head secured thereto at the axis of the head by screw threads, said element hav ing a polygonal head outside of one of the furcations, said polygonal head having a plurality of notches corresponding in number to the number of the sockets provided in the socket head, the polygonal head having one notch in each side, and a sliding bolt mounted 011 one of the furc'ations and en gageable with the notches of said polygonal head to hold the socket head against rotary movement.

6. A multiple socket wrench comprising a brace bifurcated at its active end and provided with alined apertures, means traversing the bifurcated end and seated in said apertures, a rotary head mounted on said means between the bifurcations of said brace, said head comprising a plurality of radial arms with a nut-receiving socket at the end of each arm, said head being rotatable to bring any one of the arms into alinement with the furcations of said brace, and locking means mounted on one of said furcations to hold the head in its adjusted position.

7. A multiple socket. wrench comprising a brace provided with a bifurcated support, a rotary head mounted between the furcations of said support, said head comprising a plurality of radial arms, each having a nut-receiving socket, said head being rotatable to bring any one of the arms into alinement with the furcations of said brace, and locking means to hold the head in its adjusted position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature.

PETER JOHN QUIGLEY. 

